Apple has chosen to build a new data center in North Carolina that will inject a local economy with new jobs and excitement, as the company prepares for its first east coast data center. The Cupertino-based company will likely invest more than $1 billion towards the new data center through 2018.

"North Carolina continues to be a prime location for growing and expanding global technology companies," Perdue said in a statement. "We welcome Apple to North Carolina and look forward to working with the company as it begins providing a significant economic boost to local communities and the state."

The Apple North Carolina facility will have up to 50 full-time employees once construction has been completed, the press release said. Several locations are under consideration, with construction expected to begin immediately after Apple is able to find a suitable location.

In an agreement between Apple and the county, the average wage of employees at the facility must be higher than the standard wage in the county. A $1 billion investment over nine years could help 3,000 jobs in the area, as construction contractors receive plans for the data center.

Cleveland and Catawba counties have been rumored as potential locations for the site, though Apple and state officials have remained silent. The actual use of the data center and its size also remains a mystery, and probably won't be disclosed until construction begins.

Apple already has a 107,000 square-foot facility located in Newark, California.

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.. are you guys all talking about? $46 Million for a billion dollar construction project is a bargain. A large percentage of that billion is materials.. which are purchased in the state. Those materials are probably taxed. The fuel is taxed to move those materials around. There are air con, heating, vending machine, water, electrical etc etc companies which will get work, food sales from all the workers and their families. Then, after it's built there are maintenance costs and parts, not to mention the running costs of massive data center. Such places run up huge utility bills, all of which is taxed. Hell, the thing will probably pay back that tax break on survey costs, environmental impact tests and the fees/taxes from just buying the land.